The present invention relates to flower delivery networks. In particular, the invention relates to methods and systems for assuring quality in the delivered product.
Flower arrangements are often sold to a customer at the location of a first florist for delivery to a far distant recipient. To meet this need, networks of florist have arisen so that the first florist, called the sending florist, sends an order to a filling florist at a location near the recipient. Flower arrangements are standardized within the network, and the network management distributes instructions for making each standardized flower arrangement along with a photograph of the finished flower arrangement.
With such a network, a customer comes to the sending florist, chooses one of the standard flower arrangements, and pays the sending florist, leaving delivery instructions for delivery to the distant recipient. Often, a personalized message will accompany the delivery of the flower arrangement. The selection number of the chosen flower arrangement, the delivery address, and the personalized message, if any, along with an order number are sent as an order to the filling florist. The order number is associated the sending and filling florists along with their addresses, telephone numbers, etc. The filling florist makes up the flower arrangement, attaches the personalized message, if any, and delivers the flower arrangement the recipient at the address identified in the order. Upon delivery, the filling florist sends a report, including the order number, of the delivery to the sending florist, and the filling florist is paid a portion of the price originally paid to the sending florist by the original customer. In some instances, the sending florist is an Internet web site that takes orders and functions as the sending florist.
Occasionally, a filling florist may run out of a particular flower and make substitutions in the flower arrangement, simply prepare the flower arrangement with less than the prescribed number of flowers, or use old flowers that had begun to wilt. Should a filling florist frequently make flower arrangements with less than the prescribed number of flowers or use old flowers that had begun to wilt, the filling florist would make a windfall profit. The filling florist may feel a financial motivation to vary from the network management's prescribed instructions for making the standardized flower arrangement.
Eventually, recipients talk to customers, and if the flower arrangement varied from the arrangement ordered, the customer may complain to the sending florist with whom the order was placed. Disputes arise between sending and filling florist, and the value of the whole network concept is questioned.
Quality control of the delivered flower arrangement is an important aspect of the management of the network. In some instances, a filling florist have taken photographs with electronic cameras attached the file created by the camera to an E-mail sent back to the sending florist For example, the file created by the camera may be in a JPEG format for attachment to an E-mail.
However, what is needed is a regular means to ensure quality of the delivered flower arrangement to enhance the value of the network concept to all participating florists.